Grape and flower harvesting tools



Jan. 3, 1967 R. s. THOMPSON 3,295,203

GRAPE AND FLOWER HARVESTING TOOLS Filed May 25, 1964 INVENTOR RAYMOND S. THOMPSON BY/izgx/j w A TTOR NE Y Unite States atnt 32%,263 Patented Jan. 3, 1967 tire 3,295,203 GRAPE AND FLOWER HARVESTING TQQlLS Raymond E3. Thompson, 2044 E. Marsh St,

I Stockton, Calif. 95205 Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 369,823 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-232) My invention consists in a new and useful improvement in a grape and flower harvesting tool. The novel feature of my improved tool is the combination of three knife blades and means for mounting the tool on the thumb and index finger of the user.

While I show in the drawing and hereinafter fully describe one specific embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not consider my invention to be limited to said embodiment, but refer for its scope to the claims appended hereto.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective showing the tool applied to the hand of the user;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the tool.

As shown in the drawing, the tool has three knife blades 1, 2 and 3, connected by pivoting rivets 4 and having cutting edges 5. Blade ll has thumb fitting flange 1a thereon. Blade 2 has a finger fitting flange 2a thereon. Blade 3 has a finger fitting flange 3a thereon. Blade 1 has a flange 1b with a cord 1c to encircle hand H.

As shown in FIG. 1, the tool is applied to the hand H by inserting thumb T in the flange In on blade 1 and the index finger F is in the flanges 2a and Fan on blades 2 and 3, respectively. The flange 1b and cord 1c fit around the hand H.

One of the great advantages of my improved tool is that it can be used on each hand and :50 allows picking and cutting to be done with both hands.

Since the tool has three knife blades pivotally connected, they are meshed against one another for cutting by merely closing the hand on which the tool is applied. This tool is much safer than an ordinary harvesting knife as its cutting blades operate in such a manner that they cannot cut the users fingers. It has been found that the tool allows much greater speed in harvesting than other cutting tools.

I claim:

1. In a harvesting tool for cutting plants, a combination of a first, second and third peat knife blades of about equal length, said first blade having means on its underside at one end for mounting on the thumb of a user and having means on its other end for a first freely piv-otable connection to said second blade, said second blade having means at its end, remote from the said first pivotal connection, for a second freely pivotable connection to said third blade, said third blade having means on its underside for mounting toward the end of the index finger of the user, the cutting edges of the said blades being adapted to face each other when mounted on the hand of the user in a plane above the plane defined by the thumb and index finger.

2. A tool according to claim 1 in which mounting means are provided at said first pivotal connection for a cord to encircle the users hand and mounting means are provided at said second pivotal connection for mounting to the lower portion of the index finger of the user.

3. A tool according to claim 1 in which said second blade has a cutting edge which bulges toward its central portion.

4. A tool, according to claim 1, in which said blades are connected by pivoting rivets.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS;

497,568 5/1893 Dudley et al. 39-232 X 1,721,788 7/1929 Phelps 30-232 1,775,562 9/1930 Kerns 30-232 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD C. ALLEN, Examiner.

J. C. PETERS, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 295, 203 January 3, 1967 Raymond S Thompson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below Column 2, line 6, for "peat" read flat --o Signed and sealed this 24th day of October 1967.

( Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Attesting Officer 

1. IN A HARVESTING TOOL FOR CUTTING PLANTS, A COMBINATION OF A FIRST, SECOND AND THIRD PEAT KNIFE BLADES OF ABOUT EQUAL LENGTH, SAID FIRST BLADE HAVING MEANS ON ITS UNDERSIDE AT ONE END FOR MOUNTING ON THE THUMB OF A USER AND HAVING MEANS ON ITS OTHER END FOR A FIRST FREELY PIVOTABLE CONNECTION TO SAID SECOND BLADE, SAID SECOND BLADE HAVING MEANS AT ITS END, REMOTE FROM THE SAID FIRST PIVOTAL CONNECTION, FOR A SECOND FREELY PIVOTABLE CONNECTION TO SAID THIRD BLADE, SAID THIRD BLADE HAVING MEANS ON ITS UNDERSIDE FOR MOUNTING TOWARD THE END OF THE INDEX FINGER OF THE USER, THE CUTTING EDGES OF THE SAID BLADES BEING ADAPTED TO FACE EACH OTHER WHEN MOUNTED ON THE HAND OF THE USER IN A PLANE ABOVE THE PLANE DEFINED BY THE THUMB AND INDEX FINGER. 